WuXi Pharmaceutical

Design-Build with an Unexpected Second Floor Addition

Project Detail

Located in the former Philadelphia Naval Yard, this mixed-use corporate and healthcare space was originally designed as a one-story research center featuring office space and a clean room for WuXi Pharmaceutical to perform oncology research and product development. Just as construction was beginning, it was deemed necessary to add additional space to the approved site plans to accommodate the research goals of the company.

High-Level Collaboration for Seamless Integration

The need for more space meant dramatic design changes and a complete reevaluation of all MEP work as well as a comprehensive structural review to incorporate an additional 75,000 square-feet, including a new second story. Penntex worked closely with owner Liberty Property Trust, tenant WuXi Pharmaceutical and project subcontractors to expedite evaluation and planning to accommodate the change – determining the most efficient, expedient and cost-effective options.

Coordinating Changes Inside and Out

The addition of the added square footage and second floor facility meant planning for and executing dramatical changes inside and out, including:

A large 5,000-square-foot, two-story mechanical and electrical room was added to the project to house the mechanical, process and purification systems for the new lab facility.

The roof structure was revised from a simple joist-framed roof to a full structural-beam-framed design to handle the additional loads of the HVAC equipment necessary to support operations in the expanded space.